Kitchen Designs

Choosing country kitchen paint colors are the best possible way to make sure that the kitchen looks beautiful, elegant and chic. Just because a kitchen is a space that needs to be well organized so that its practical value can be used perfectly, that does not mean that the kitchen should be left out of the décor aspect of the interiors of a house. This was unfortunately the case a few years ago, and still is, in some houses. Since the kitchen, and the bathroom as well, were both considered to be rooms that were solely for practical and utilitarian usage in the house – it was thought that there was no need for making these two rooms look pretty by decorating them. That, however, is not the way to go about doing up an entire house for think about it – if your living rooms and bedrooms look beautiful, why should two key rooms of the house be left looking dull.

Country Kitchen Paint Colors

Thankfully, notions of home décor have changed significantly since the last few decades and now, the kitchen and the bathroom are given as much importance with regard to home décor, as the rest of the rooms in the house. Now, one can even choose themes for the kitchen and bathroom décor in the house. As far as the kitchen goes, if you want a pretty blend of elegance and kitsch then it is suggested you go for a country theme with country kitchen paint colors , country themed accessories and country style décor and furniture. This will surely amp the look of your kitchen, make it seem traditional and beautiful as well as modern and classy in one fell swoop. Country style kitchens are all about looking very homely and extremely beautiful and this would mean that the country kitchen paint colors would add a lot of color and depth to the kitchen.

The popular shades in the country kitchen paint colors palette would be reds, greens, oranges, yellow and so on – bright colors, earthy hues and different combinations of the two would rule. Light pink and rose patterned wall papers would also be very welcome in a country style kitchen and the cabinetry and furniture will probably be a warm shade of natural wood colors as well. Country kitchen paint colors can be combined with the usual muted shades as well – given that the kitchen might well be already painted in a certain shade, be it white, cream or off-white.

Then it is a matter of merely painting two out of the four walls to make the kitchen look beautiful. Country kitchen paint colors might also look great with motifs in the form of wall decals and stencils thrown in because this would make the walls look beautiful and elegant like no other. Roosters, fruit, roses and such like motifs go well with country kitchen paint colors and you can also have posters or paintings of the same put up on the wall in strategic locations. Make your kitchen look elegant with country kitchen paint colors.

The best paint colors for kitchen are the kind that make your kitchen look large and spacious even if it is a small space, and which gives it an aura of appeal, an elegance and a sophistication that makes working in the kitchen a pleasant task. The kitchen was often thought of as a space that was used for a purely practical purpose – that of making food. And thus, this space was not really given much importance when it came to décor.

best paint colors for kitchen

Best Paint Colors For Kitchen is Easy

It was enough – or so the home makers and interior decorators thought – that the kitchen space be kept nice and neat and well organized so that items could be found easily while cooking meals. It was much later in the day that doing up the kitchen in an interesting manner in a way that made kitchen look beautiful and appealing came into being. With this transformation of concepts came another significant change in interior décor – the use of colors other than white, grey, cream and pastels. As the years progressed, not only did the kitchen get a lot of attention where interior décor was concerned, it also was given a wide variety of the best paint colors for kitchen to choose from.

Muted shades and pastels still got a fair bit of attention, given that they are the most popular in the list of best paint colors for kitchen. This is because these colors might not offer a lot of versatility by themselves, they definitely allow the rest of the décor to be chosen accordingly. For instance, if your kitchen is done up in what you consider the best paint colors for kitchen and they happen to be predominantly cream, then you do not have to worry about painting your cabinets a bright red, or leaving them as is, because both colors and hues will go with your cream walls. For a small kitchen, the best paint colors for kitchen would be in fact, creams and whites or light yellows. This will make the kitchen look like a larger space.

Darker colors like red and blue will make the space shrink which will in turn make the kitchen look rather dingy – especially in the absence of natural light. Choose pretty colored upholstery and window treatments to complement the best paint colors for kitchen. Have a look at the online sites which talk of kitchen décor and see what they have to offer in terms of inspiration. You can get an idea of the different colors that are gaining in popularity – bright colors like fuchsia, carnelian, magenta and turquoise are being used by themselves or in combination with other beautiful colors to give the kitchen a very interesting look.

Everyone’s tastes will vary of course, and the best paint colors for kitchen according to you might not be the best according to someone else so be canny while choosing. What looks great on a brochure or a photo on a website might not suit your kitchen décor at all and you might be left with something you don’t like.

Before we start a discussion on how to make a butcher block let us try and understand what exactly a butcher block is. As the name suggests, it was a great hunk of wood, used by butchers to chop meat on. The wood was durable and sturdy and withstood all attacks with the knife during chopping or cutting and therefore slowly entered into households as effective kitchen and even dining furniture. Nowadays, butcher blocks have many avatars – they can be used as a counter top, as a cutting board and as a dining table – either separately, or the same one can be used for all three purposes, depending on the size of your kitchen, your dining space or your needs. You can also make yourself a butcher block kitchen island, an end table or a work bench.

How to make a butcher block

Whereas you can easily buy a butcher block from stores or online, a great way to put your skills as a carpenter or a craftsman is to make your own. You do not have to take an enormous piece of wood and hack away at it, you can start small by making yourself a butcher block cutting board – this is a small scale bit of work and the result will be very handy in the kitchen.

Look up internet suggestions of how to make a butcher block table or cutting board and such like and ask your friends and relatives for tips. It is suggested for beginners that they buy a pre-existing butcher block and then trim it down to size depending on the kitchen or dining room space. Once you have done this relatively easy task, you can go on to adding legs to it etc. without coherent instructions it will be very difficult to make your butcher block furniture and it is best to seek help on how to make a butcher block table or cutting board etc. from those who have experience, or from skilled carpenters because the gluing and clamping exercises that are required can be tedious and tiring.

The best place to buy butcher blocks from would be to go to thrift stores – ask the retailers how to make a butcher block table or counter top for better understanding. This saves you a lot of money in the long run because the advanced bits of carpentry are already done and any carpenter worth his salt will for sure have the tools that are required for trimming a butcher block down and adding the extra bits. Go to thrift stores, retailers and look in your own shed for old wood that you can reuse and make a butcher block item from.

Be systematic in your research on how to make a butcher block table or countertop and you will see the piece take shape in no time, adding durability, strength and beauty to your existing kitchen space – the burnished grain of the butcher block wood toning down the harsh and cold tone of metal and steel furniture and fixtures.

Wood counter tops are an extremely aesthetic addition to your kitchen. They immediately add a sense of sophistication and look sturdy and durable. Wood counter tops also come in beautiful colors which are either natural, lacquered or varnished according to interiors of houses and the brilliant yet subtle sheen of these kitchen accessories can leave you breathless.

Wood counter tops

Buy or make wood counter tops that fit your kitchen and suit your needs. Do not go overboard as wood can make your kitchen look extremely cluttered as it has a bulk of its own. These come in a range of designs and you can easily pick one to suit your needs. You can buy or make butcher block counter tops out of solid wood or you can have a counter top made out of several planks of wood joined together to form a wide space. The latter option is a great idea if you are handy with your tools and are skilled at carpentry. If you have old furniture or left over wood you can easily make your own wood counter tops – and this is not only a great DIY project, it is also a way to be eco-friendly. Remember that wood can be recycled and it is a resource that is renewable.

However, do keep a few things in mind when it comes to investing in wood counter tops for your kitchen. Remember that if you are a busy cook and regularly make food at home, you will need to keep your counter top sparkling clean. This is especially true if you are in the habit of chopping meat on it – if you do not take care to thoroughly clean and disinfect your wood counter tops after using it for meat then you may risk infecting other food stuff kept on it. However, this is a better alternative to plastic counter tops any day as studies have shown that while bacteria might get absorbed into the surface of wood counter tops, they eventually die. Wood counter tops will also not be affected much by knives – whereas plastic will be scarred by multiple grooves in no time. However, with time, these counter tops can warp and crack and with heavy usage of large and sharp knives, may suffer damage.

That said, taking care of wood counter tops is fairly simple and easy. All it requires is daily maintenance. Wash the wood counter tops with a warm solution of lemon juice and water and mild detergent after you are done for the day, remove stains with bleach or hydrogen peroxide mixed with water. If you wish to remove stains and do not like the look of your old wood counter top then you can give it a sparkling look by sanding it down. Remember though, that vinegar should never be used for cleaning solid wood counter tops as it might damage the surface irrevocably. You can use it for wood that has been sealed with a protective finish but bare wood will be worn away and splinter in no time as vinegar is said to dissolve the binding glue that holds wood particles together.

If you love a rustic look then a butcher block table top is the perfect addition to your kitchen. What is a butcher block? Well as the name implied, it was originally the term used for a hunk of solid wood that butchers would use to chop meat before packing and selling. Usually made from assembled pieces of wood, a butcher block table top is a popular sight in many kitchens for its ability to withstand daily use and wear and tear. Many people all over the world prefer it to granite or laminated counter and table tops because of its durability. Another reason behind the rise in popularity behind the butcher block table top is that furniture makers and carpenters can easily use wood that is left over from making other furniture in their workshop.

Butcher Block Table Top

DIY butcher block table tops are also a rage nowadays, with people setting about customizing their own table tops after checking out suitable designs and tutorials online. If you are handy with a toolbox then a butcher block table top is not a hard project at all, in fact, what can be more satisfying than making your own kitchen accessories and then proudly displaying them to your guests who are sure to be amazed. You can even buy a pre-made butcher block and then trim it to size to fit your kitchen, thereafter adding the legs etc to it to make it a table or a kitchen island. This is a better option as compared to trying to construct an entire butcher block by yourself – buy the counter top and then make the rest to save time and effort.

Hardwoods such as maple, birch, oak and beech can be used to make these butcher block table tops and you can also look for those that are made from strips of wood joined together. The latter kind especially, adds to the rustic appeal of a kitchen and indeed, all butcher block tables bring a bit of the country into your urban home.

Where can you buy abutcher block table top? Well you can look online, where you are sure to get great deals and discounts. Many websites are exclusively designed to sell kitchen ware, kitchen accessories and other kitchen related items and these would probably have a butcher block table top for sale too. You can also look for online stores which sell DIY items where you can buy a butcher block table top for cheap, trim it to suit your needs and then construct the legs or whatever else you need to make a full kitchen island or table out of it. Antique stores, yard sales etc. will be a good place to look for a vintage butcher block table top – because they are made of solid wood and the grain and polish will only look more rich and burnished with age. Any dents or scratches will also lend it a shabby chic flair which will blend well into your kitchen decor especially if you have gone for cottage style interior decor.

Good things always come in small packages and small kitchens are no different. It does not matter if your kitchen is big or small, what matters is how you do it up. A kitchen is a very important room in the house. It is where the family meals are cooked and sometimes, families gather to eat together in the kitchen as well. Therefore it is important that the kitchen is well done up. If your house is small and there is not too much room in the kitchen, fear not. All you have to do is to incorporate a few strategic storage space ideas and paint your kitchen in light and cheerful colors.

Start with the color – a dark and dull kitchen will look smaller than it actually is. It is always a good idea to choose pastels, light yellow, cream and white for a small room and a small kitchens will benefit from the use of such colors. However, since this is a kitchen you are painting, ensure that you are buying paint which is resistant to grease, heat and other damage related conditions since it will be subjected to all these and more in a kitchen where daily meals are cooked. Once you have painted your walls your kitchen will look fresh and clean. Install a tiled back splash for the wall area right behind your stove and counter top for an interesting accent to the walls. If you have a small kitchens then you will also need to think about storage.

Small kitchens can be cluttered in no time if you do not be careful about how you store your items. First, do away with any items that might be too big for the kitchen. Invest in a small oven instead of the antique and old style one. Buy a slimmer refrigerator, install wall cabinets and as many shelves as you can. The beauty of wall mounted shelves and pedestals are that they allow you to retain your favorite kitchen items without compromising on space. If you have a kitchen sink that is separate, you can also wall mount it or install a pedestal sink in its place.

Making your small kitchens into a modular kitchen is also a good idea – that way you will have seamless drawers, pull out drawers, effortless slider doors and well appointed cabinets and shelves to store your items in. You can also consider a slim kitchen island over which you can organize a hanging ensemble of pots and pans. If you have a kitchen table in a small kitchens, choose one that is not overwhelmingly large – a slim, delicately wrought wooden model would be ideal as wood is a durable material with natural anti rot and anti fungal properties. A small kitchens can be well accessorized with correct window treatments as well, though large billowy curtains and elaborate valances will only get in the way. Choose blinds for kitchen windows which are no nonsense and fire proof, they will be a neat addition to a kitchen.